The Great Big Home and Garden Show at I-X Center, Cleveland OH

The Great Big Home and Garden Show will take place from Saturday, February 2 to Sunday, February 10 at the I-X Center in Cleveland. With more than 650 exhibitors, the show is a must-see for home improvement and gardening enthusiasts.

New highlights and attractions to look out for this year include a fully-constructed, 4,000 square foot Idea Home sponsored by Sherwin-Williams and Cleveland Magazine. Built by Perrino Builders, the Idea Home aims to inspire visitors by presenting them with creative ways to plan and build their dream houses. Other features include a fully-constructed, 2,000 square foot Dream Basement built by Custom Remodeling and Design based in Chagrin Falls, fine dining at full-service restaurant Cambria Bistro, and daily cooking sessions presented by local chefs and instructors from the Loretta Paganini School of Cooking.

Returning favorites from last year’s show include the Garden Showcase, Celebrity Designer Rooms, Playground World’s KidsZone and last year’s Main Stage emcee, Matt Fox, who will also be presenting home improvement ideas and special educational topics on February 2, 3 and 5.

Tickets to the show cost from $5 to $14 and are available at the box office, online and at Home Depot and AAA locations. The I-X Center is located at 6200 Riverside Drive in Cleveland. For more information on the Great Big Home and Garden Show, please visit www.greatbighomeandgarden.com.

Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week kicks off Feb. 22nd

The sixth annual Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week will kick off on Friday, February 22, but although this will be the sixth year running for the popular event, 2013′s installment will feature several firsts.

First off, the event will stretch over two weekends for the first time ever, running through Sunday, March 3. This year’s celebration of downtown dining will also have a theme, namely “Pierogi Power,” as an ode to Cleveland’s unofficial signature food. Local chefs have been invited to create their own unique take on the tasty stuffed treat.

Also for the first time, there will be a kick-off party. Sponsored by Downtown Cleveland Alliance, the party will be in keeping with this year’s Polish theme, and is called “Go Fourth and Polka.” The highlight of the event will be DJ Kishka’s live polka entertainment set during happy hour on Friday, February 22 in the middle of East Fourth Street.

Aside from these few exciting new changes, the premise of Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week will remain the same: more than 40 participating restaurants will offer three-course prix-fixe dinner menus prices at $30. Each restaurant will serve their own choice of specials, with some of them offering mix-and-match options as well as prix-fixe lunches, most of which are priced at $15.

For those who love food and all things Cleveland, Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week is a great way to celebrate eating in the city. For more information, please visit downtowncleveland.com.

Realtor Confidence Levels Up Nationally, January 2013 Report

Realtor confidence levels are up significantly across the nation. The market is still being held back by a few obstacles, but the national market showing great improvement and going in the right direction.

Here is a recent article from the National Association of Realtors on the subject:

On January 24, 2013, in Economist Commentaries, by Jed Smith, Managing Director, Quantitative Research

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The year 2012 ended on a high note. Based on information gathered from the  December 2012 REALTORS® Confidence Index Survey, the Current Conditions Confidence Index increased for all property types. The index for single family homes rose to 56 from from 32 a year ago, indicating a shift in expectations from “below moderate” to “above moderate”.  An index of 50 means moderate conditions or expectations.   The index for townhouses ended at 39 compared to 19 last year, while the index for condominiums was at 31 compared to 14 last year.


REALTORS® generally reported brisker sales, rising home prices, and shorter days on the market.   However,  the market recovery continued to be held back by low inventory and  a tight  and drawn out underwriting process, especially for shortsales. Appraisal issues, the modest pace of economic recovery and job growth, and the potential adverse impact of ‘fiscal cliff” measures and  regulations on mortgage lending (e.g, Qualified Mortgage rules) were major concerns. REALTORS® also reported reduced activity in the areas affected by Hurricane Sandy and  concerns over the potential dampening effect of higher flood insurance rates.

4th Quarter 2012 Real Estate Statistics, Cleveland and Northeast Ohio

Recent sales data in Northeast Ohio shows that out of every 100 homes listed for sale, 46 fail to sell.  This is actually an improvement over the first few quarters, where it was closer to a 50% fail rate.  This is mainly due to higher buyer demand relative to fewer homes for sale.

Even with this improvement, of the 54 that did sell in the third quarter, 33 of the homes (60% of the homes that sold) required at least one price reduction.  That tells us that 79 out of every 100 homes are priced incorrectly at the time it is listed.

To further dispel the the notion that pricing high at the beginning of the listing won't effect the sale or the price of the home, the graphic below shows the difference in homes that didn't require reductions versus homes that did.  Homes priced correctly sold in 34 days for over 96% of asking price, while the homes that required reductions sold in 191 days for 80% of asking price.



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The key to selling real estate is proper pricing from the start...it's a huge part of marketing your home effectively.  Related to that, is hiring an agent that has a solid marketing plan and can provide you with the proper research you need to make an informed decision on pricing.  That way, you're not wasting valuable time and money and wondering why your home is still on the market.

I invite you to contact me anytime to discuss further.

Mid-America Boat and Fishing Show in Cleveland 2013

The 56th annual Mid-America Boat and Fishing Show, also known as the Cleveland Boat Show, will take place from Thursday, January 17 to Monday, January 21 at the I-X Center located at 6200 Riverside Drive in Cleveland.

One of the largest boat shows in the United States, the Mid-America Boat and Fishing Show will feature over a thousand new and classic boats, ranging from the latest motor boat models to classic or used sailboats. Expect to see hundreds of interesting exhibits, including full-scale models and boating and fishing accessories, as well as live entertainment, food and drinks, and fun activities for children.

Highlights of the show include a one of a kind pavilion that will be set up on the show floor in celebration of the Battle of Lake Erie bicentennial. Visitors can marvel at a replica of Oliver Hazard Perry’s longboat and mingle with historical re-enactors wearing period costumes.

Sean Fisher, grandson of famous treasure hunter Mel Fisher, will be showcasing valuable treasure finds, including an 8-foot long gold chain, gold bar and disc, silver coins, and a beautiful Atocha emerald which was valued at half a million dollars.

Meanwhile, children of all ages can enjoy educational fun with the Swampmaster’s Gator Show, where expert handler Jeff Quattrocchi will catch an 8-foot, 200-pound alligator with his bare hands!

For more information on the show, please visit midamericaboatshow.com. Tickets are available on the website and at the I-X Center box office.

Federal Reserve: US Economy On The Mend 2013

According to a report from Bloomberg News, the local and national economies have picked up over the last month, and are being primarily fueled by home and auto sales.  Nationally, over the 12 districts, the pace of economic growth has been termed "modest" to "moderate."

Cleveland, the fourth district, has seen the following:

• Staffing across all industries has been slow. Job openings have been stagnant, with most vacancies were found primarily in manufacturing and healthcare.
• Manufacturing reports indicated that new orders and production were flat or down slightly during the past six weeks. Increased manufacturing production was seen for companies that supply the auto industry.
• New home construction has seen improved sales, with optimistic confidence levels heading into 2013. Listing and sales prices are increasing with higher demand (due to low interest rates) and fewer homes available for purchase.  Building material costs have gone up, also driving sales price for new construction.
• Consumer spending reports indicate the holiday shopping season was solid, with improved sales expected in the first quarter of 2013. Auto sales and leasing have shown steady improvement over the past six weeks.

For additional economic reporting for Cleveland, please view the full article HERE.

Tax Credits and Mortgage Forgiveness Act Reinstated by Fiscal Cliff Bill

Two main tax benefits that had expired were reinstated by the "Fiscal Cliff" policy recently passed by the federal government, along with an extension of the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act.  Homeowners will be able to claim these tax credits on their 2012 taxes, according to a recent article In the Washington Post.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act allows you to write off the insurance premiums you paid during 2012 along with your mortgage interest, provided your household income does not exceed $110,000. The new bill retroactively permits write-offs for all of 2012 and 2013 for qualified borrowers.

If you had any energy-efficient renovations done in 2012 or plan to do them in 2013, you may be able to claim up to a $500 tax credit.  This incentive lapsed in 2011 but could now give you up to $500 off the bottom line of your federal tax return.  More information on the credits can be found at website for the Alliance to Save Energy.

In addition to the reinstated credits, the "Fiscal Cliff" legislation kept the Mortgage Forgiveness Debt Relief Act in force for 2013. This act protects homeowners who found themselves "underwater" with their home loans from incurring punitive federal taxes, which would have forced them to pay tax on the full amount of the short sale deficiency, as regular income. 

If this Act would have expired, it would have forced homeowners into a potential bankruptcy or a foreclosure situation, which could have proved devastating to homeowners.  On a larger scale, it would have had a vast impact on banks, as well as the local, state and national economy.

Bridal shows in Akron and Cleveland Ohio Area

If you are one of the happy couples who recently got engaged during the holidays, there are a few upcoming events that may help you get your wedding plans started.

More than 200 local and national vendors will take part in upcoming bridal fairs and fashion shows in Akron and Cleveland, giving brides and grooms to be a wide array of choices for their special day.

Today’s Bride will be having shows on Sunday, January 6 from 10am to 5pm at the John S. Knight Center located at 77 E. Mill St. in Akron; Saturday, January 12 from 2 to 8pm at the International Exposition Center at 6200 Riverside Drive in Cleveland; and Sunday, January 13 from 10am to 5pm, also at the I-X Center.

Jennifer Fyffe, Vice President of the shows, says that Today’s Bride shows are amongst the largest in the state. Last year’s event in Akron was attended by more than 1,000 bride-to-bes, while over 2,500 attended the show in Cleveland.

Visitors to this year’s events can expect to see fashion shows that will highlight current trends in wedding gowns, tuxedos, bridesmaid gowns, flower girl dresses and different hairstyles and bouquets.
“We cover the whole entourage,” Fyffe says. “You’ll get to see 90 gowns in 40 minutes. It’s a really fun atmosphere to see the trends.”

Tickets to see the shows are $10 each, and each bride will receive a free pink tote bag, as well as a recent issue of Today’s Bride Magazine and an exciting chance to win an all-inclusive vacation to Real Resorts in Mexico from UnlimitedTrips.com.